The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-05-14

Does the Annual burning of Dead Leaves
and Grasses In Forests Impov-
erish the Soil?

!. Ahe ABOVE is an important queS-
ton, particularly in pine lands of
Southern States, where forest fires
consume dead leaves, grasses and
all dry combustible matter, rotton
wood, pine knots, etc., on many mill
ion OF acres every fall and winter
or spring.
| tits generally believed that these
fires do impoverish the soil. We,
without careful reflection, have
favored that opinion. But what
do the facts teach? Let us see.
At least 50 per cent of the sub
stance of dry forest leaves, decayed
wood, etc., consumed by these an
nual fires go upward and mingle
with the air whence they originally
came, and 5 per cent, the ashes,
remain on the soil and in time min
glewith it and help enrich it. These
contain lime, phosphoric acid, pot
ash and several other ingredients
of less Importance than these.
All of these came from the soil,
and every grain of them, by the
action of fire, is given back to
the soil to be used again for
fertalizing purposes. Fire cannot
consume them or diminish their
weight. Portions of these ashes are
drawn from the subsoil by the roots
of trees and plants, and by fire or
natural decay of the plants and
trees they are deposited On the
surface and make the surface soil
more fertile at the expense of the
subsoiL Some of these mineral
fertilizers come from ten feet or
more below the surface, and are
taken up wherever the roots of
trees or plants extend outward or
downward for food.
Then If forest fires send all of
these elements that came from the
atmosphere back from whence they
came, and the mineral elements
back to the soil from whence they
came, how does this action impov-
erish the soil?
Do forest trees, whose fallen
leaves are annually destroyed by
fire, indicate gradually impoyer-
ished soil? We think not. No one
denies that if the leaves and decay
ed wood are left to mingle with the
surface soil the soil will become
much richer. That is natures
modeof enriching poor soils. These
leaves and decayed vegetation are
natures fertilizers. Nature thus
mingles the elements of the atmos-
phere with elements found in the
soil, and these, properly blended
and fixed in the soil, constitute
fertility.
Does not burning of the leaves,
then, simply prevent nature from
making the soil richer without MAX
ing it any poorer? Do not the lime,
phosphorus, potash, etc., brought
from below and left on the surface
make the lands somewhat richer
than they were before? Does this
hold good in regard to yearly fires
on prairies and in marshes?
Burning the leaves and rubbish
In forests annually has its good re-
suits to Offset any disadvantages
that may result from it. These
fires destroy numerous snakes and
vermin and insects in untold mill
ions. The forest fires sometimes
occur when all of these are out In
full blast, breeding and depositing
eggs without number. Ticks, bugs,
worms, moths, lizards, scorpions,
spiders and a long list of other
troublesome creatures are destroy
ed by these fires. Then they des-
troy rotten and fallen timber, rot
ten limbs of fallen trees and chips
OF the woodman, and give place to
the native forest grasses, that grow
with great vigor in the spring, and |
the cattle are very fond of them.
Besides, the fires destroy the young |
scrubby growth of shrubs and vines
and gives the cattle better chance
to range through the woods in
gathering their supply of food.
If the fires we're yearly and sys-
tematically sent through our pine
forests at a season most convenient !
for such work and when fires are
least dangerous to fences and build
ings, it could be done with the
greatest safety by running few
burrows In the roads and crossroads,
a day for the whole |
to turn out and do |
the burning in detail, after the
roads are properly plowed to keep |
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